Revolutionising Back Pain Management - Platelet-Rich Plasma PRP Vs Steroids?
Low back pain is hugely prevalent and is one of the main factors that restrict occupational and physical activity, and it is becoming more and more common. Surgery is only an option when all other conservative treatment methods have failed, and should not be considered initially, unless there is consistent or progressive neurological deficit.
While epidural steroid injections have been used for many years, their usefulness is limited to shorter periods and is not considered a long-term solution with most cases of back pain reappearing. In the field of orthopedics, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has gained widespread recognition as an additional natural therapy. PRP has been used for well over a decade within musculoskeletal practice to stimulate tissue healing and repair.
This new April 2024 comparative study aimed to evaluate the potential of PRP as a therapy for low back pain (LBP). It revealed gradual progressive improvement in the symptoms of patients in the PRP group as indicated by relevant scores. The results were comparable to those who received steroid injections. Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference in VAS scores between the two groups, with the PRP group reporting a higher degree of pain reduction, showing that PRP is an effective alternative to epidural steroid infiltration in managing chronic LBP. Furthermore, PRP is considered a safer alternative with better long-term outcomes.
Full study can be found here.
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